Multi-color,multi-patterned panels

ABSTRACT

WALL PANEL AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME OF THIN SHEET MATERIAL HAVING A DECORATIVE OUTER SURFACE RESEMBLING ACTUAL WOOD PLANKS LAID SIDE BY SIDE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PRINTING SEGMENTS OF SAID SURFACE WITH FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PATTERNS IN A FIRST COLOR, PRINTING DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF SAID SURFACE WITH DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PATTERNS IN A SECOND DIFFERENT COLOR, AND PRINTING DEFFERENT SEGMENTS OF SAID SURFACE WITH AGAIN DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PATTERNS IN A THIRD DIFFERENT COLOR WHEREBY PLANKS OF THE WHOLE PATTERN OF SAID DECORATIVE OUTER SURFACE ARE PRINTED IN SUCCESSIVE LAYERS WITH DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF DIFFERENT COLORS.   D R A W I N G

R. H. PITTMAN MULTI-COLOR, MULTI-PATTERNED PANELS May 14, 1974 3,810,774

Filed April 17, 1972 United States Patent US. Cl. 117-12 6 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Wall panel and method of making the same ofthin sheet material having a decorative outer surface resembling actualwood planks laid side by side comprising the steps of printing segmentsof said surface with first, second and third patterns in a first color;printing different segments of said surface with different portions ofsaid first, second and third patterns in a second different color; andprinting different segments of said surface with again differentportions of said first second and third patterns in a third differentcolor whereby planks of the whole pattern of said decorative outersurface are printed in successive layers with different patterns ofdifferent colors.

The present invention relates to a new and improved wall panel having anouter decorative surface resembling actual wood planks laid side by sideand a method of making the same.

In the past great progress has been made in the production of wood panelsheets formed of pressed wood fibers, wood chips and the like havingouter decorative surfaces which are printed and decorated to closelyresemble actual wood planks laid side by side. These panels haveafforded the home owner and commercial installations the appearance ofrich wood grain paneling at a relatively low cost in comparison with thecost of actual wood plank paneling.

The present invention is directed towards wood paneling sheets of thischaracter and a method of making the same which results in a finishedpanel sheet that more closely resembles in appearance an actual woodplank wall surface. Most panel sheets of the type and characterdescribed herein are made in relatively thin sheets, usually in standardsizes of 4' x 7', 4 x 8 or 4 x 10' and the panels are designed forapplication to vertical studs or other supporting members, which membersare generally placed 16" between centers. In most cases the panel sheetsare formed with longitudinal grooves in the decorative outer surfacethereof which grooves are coextensive with a patterned joint betweenadjacent planks. Normally, these grooves are also spaced apart at 16"centers longitudinally of the panel sheets in order to facilitatealignment of the nails or other fasteners used for mounting the panelsin place on the support members of a wall, ceiling of a home orcommercial building.

In the past, the exposed outer decorative surface of the panel has beenformed by the application of several layers of ink or other coloredtinting or coloring liquid which usually is applied in patterns madefrom photographs of actual wood planks laid in place.

The present invention comprises an improvement on the prior panels ofthe general character described and provides a panel sheet which isextremely realistic in appearance, pleasing to the eye, and yet thepanels in accordance with the invention are extremely economical.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved wall panel sheet having a decorative outer surface more closelyresembling actual wood planks laid side by side than heretoforepossible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod of making wall panel sheets of the character described.

3,810,774 Patented May 14, 1974 Another object of the invention is toprovide new and improved wall panel sheets having a decorative outersurface which is formed by the application of several different colorcoatings or layers of ink or other coloring material on differentsegments or portions of the sheet and with different printed patterns oneach segment.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide new andimproved wall panel sheets of the character described having a pluralityof coloring applications on the decorative surface thereof with thecolors of each application or coating different from one another withthe patterns on any particular portion or segment of the surfacedifferent for each successive application of coloring.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod of producing a decorative outer surface on wall panel sheets andthe like, which method comprises printing or otherwise applying aplurality of different wood grain patterns on the surface in differentcolors and in a different order of application one on top of another. Asan example, a first application of coloring may be chosen with a patternresembling the subtle undertone of a wood plank and a second anddifferent successive color application is patterned to represent themineral streak commonly found in Wood, while a final or third anddifferent color application has a pattern representing the fine detailsof wood grain or ticking in yet a third color. When the patterns areapplied in succession in different colors and different orders ofapplication with respect to the different patterning and differentsurface segments the resulting appearance is very pleasing to the eyeand more closely resembles the appearance of actual wood planks.

In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved method ofmaking wall panel sheets with a decorative outer surface resemblingactual wood planks laid side by side comprises the steps of applying orprinting first, second and third different patterns onto respectivesegments of said outer surface in a first coloring medium. Differentones of the respective segments are then printed with different portionsof said first, second and third patterns in a second and different colorapplication. Thereafter, portions of the first, second and thirdpatterns are again applied to yet again different individual planks ofthe decorative outer surface in a third and different color printingapplication, whereby each of the segments is provided with three colorprinting applications in a different order from that of other segmentsand this promotes an appearance highly pleasing and more closelyresembling actual wood planking.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had tothe following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing in schematic fashion, a productionline for making wall panels in accordance with the features of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view taken substantially along lines 22 ofFIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, thin sheets of paneling10, in accordance with the present invention, are passed in successionthrough successive printing stations 12, 14 and 16. After the sheetspass through a printing station the ink or color coating applied to thedecorative outer surface thereon is set or dried by means of a suitableinfrared or other type of oven or dryer unit so that the ink or colorcoating applied in successive printing stations does not run and bleedinto the pattern preceding color coating application. As indicated,dryer units 18 of the infrared type may be provided after each of theprinting stations 12, 14 and 16, and after the panel sheets or panels 10have passed through the final printing station 16 and its associateddrying unit 18, a finish glaze or final sealing coating is applied toprotect the decorative outer finish of the panels. The sealer applied isgenerally water and stain resistant and is transparent orsemi-transparent in order to render visible and bring out the decorativepatterns applied at the printing stations 12, 14 and 16.

The panel sheets 10 are moved through the process by means of successive'belt conveyors 20 or other conveying means which support the panels formovement along a horizontal plane extending between the printing rollsat the respective printing stations. The panel sheets 10 are generallyformed in standard widths of 4' and may have several standard lengthssuch as 7, 8', 10 or even 12. The panel sheets are generally thin(approximately /s to in thickness) and may be formed of plywood, pressedwood fibers, wood chips, resinous materials or any economically suitablepaneling material. The panels are provided with a smoothly finishedouter surface which is designed to readily accept printing or coloringinks or paints for providing a decorative pattern.

In accordance with the present invention, the outer surface of thepanels is decorated in a new and improved fashion in order to present anappearance similar to actual wood planks laid side by side. Asillustrated in FIG. 1 the wood plank appearance is enhanced by means oflongitudinally extending (plank defining) grooves 22 and the surface ofeach panel is divided into three separate longitudinal segments A, B,and C, which segments are separated by longitudinal nailing grooves 24for facilitating the installation of the finished panels on stud wallsor the like wherein the studs or other supports are spaced 16" oncenter. On each of the 16" wide segments A, B, and C of a panel, aplurality of the plank defining grooves 22 provide the outer surface ofthe particular segment into several planks which may be of standardequal widths or of random width as set forth by the numbers 3, 4, and 7in the illustrative example shown in FIG. 1. The segment A includes fourplanks having widths of 5, 3, 4 and 4 inches while the segment B hasfour planks with widths of 7, 3, 3 and 3 inches, and segment C has onlythree planks with widths of 7, 5 and 4 inches. The widths and number ofplanks and the order thereof in each of the segments A, B and C may bevaried as desired to present a more random appearance of a finished wallstructure having a number of panels thereon. However it has been foundthat with pressed wood type panels a single mold for forming the grooves22 and 24 will sufiice for most applications and it should be understoodthat the panels 10 can be run through the process line by revising theentry end so that the same patterns applied to the respective segmentsdo not appear on the same width planks defined on the outer surface.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the printing stations12, 14 and 16 includes a fixed support roll 26 for supporting and movingthe panel sheets between the conveyors 20 and for supporting the sheetagainst the downward pressure of an upper, engraved pattern roll 28. Theengraved pattern rolls 28 have a length substantially equal to the widthof the panel sheets 10 passing thereunder and have an outercircumference of approximately four feet so that as each eight footlength panel passes therebeneath the pattern roll 28 makes two completerevolutions. Ink or other coloring or tinting medium for application tothe decorative outer surface of the panels 10 is supplied from a liquidhopper 30 onto a small diameter transfer roll 32 which rotates in aclockwise direction and opposite to the rotation of the pattern roll 28associated therewith. The ink or other coloring or tinting medium isapplied onto the elevated or raised engraved patterns formed on thepattern rolls 28 and this pattern is then applied onto the surface ofthe panels 10 as the sheets pass between each pair of vertically spacedrolls 26 and 28 at a printing station. The pattern applicator roll 28 isadjustable vertically to provide the desired contact pressure againstthe decorative outer surface of the panels 10 so that a precise andclearly delineated pattern is applied.

As illustrated in 'FIG. 1 each of the pattern rolls 28 at the successiveprinting stations 12, 14 and 16 is divided longitudinally into separatesegments A, B and C and the dividing lines between these patternsegments correspond with the nailing grooves 24 on the panels 10 passingtherebeneath. The order or consecutive arrangement of the patterns A, B'and C differs on the respective rolls 28 at the successive printingstations 12, 14 and 16 as shown, so that as each segment A, B and C onthe surface of a panel 10 passes beneath the pattern rolls 28 of thethree successive printing stations 12, 14 and 16, each panel surfacesegment is printed with all three of the patterns A, B and C but withthe order of application of the patterns being changed or different foreach of the three panel segments. The ink or coloring or tinting mediumapplied at the first printing station 12 is of a selected color, hue ortone and after the panels 10 pass under the pattern roll 28 of the firstprinting station 12, the patterns A, B, and C are formed in theparticular color selected on the respective segments A, B and C of theouter decorative surface of the panel as illustrated. The ink of thesepatterns is then dried or set as the panel passes below the first dryingunit 18. The panel 10 then passes beneath the pattern roll 28 of thesecond printing station 14, wherein the panel segment A is printed withthe pattern B in another different color or hue than that applied at thefirst printing station 12. Similarly segment B of the panel is printedwith the pattern C and the panel segment C is printed with the patternA. As the panels leave the pattern roll 28 of the second printingstation 14 the second printing or coating is dried or set by the seconddrying unit 18.

The panels then continue beneath the pattern rolls 28 at the thirdprinting station 16 wherein a third printing takes place in yet anotherdifferent color. At the third printing station 16 the panel segment A isprinted with the pattern C, the segment B is printed with the pattern Aand the panel segment C is printed with the pattern B.

From the foregoing it will be seen that each panel segment A, B and C isprinted with three different patterns in successive coatings orprintings which are of different color, tint or hue. In addition, thepatterns applied to each segment are applied in different order as wellas in different color.

The pattern A on the rolls 28 may comprise a tick or small grain patternin detail and the pattern B may comprise a darkened, shaded mineralstreak as commonly found in wood. The pattern C may comprise a subtleundertone or basic wood color in grain patterns of the wood. In anexample constructed in accordance with the present invention, a panelingsystem representing hickory planks was produced wherein the ink coloringapplied at the first printing station 12 was of a reddish hue, thesecond printing application at the printing station 14 utilized agrey-black ink, while the final printing application at the printingstation 16 utilized a brownish ink for color. The resultant panels wereextremely true to life in appearance. The multicolor, multipattern,multiorder printing application provides great variety between theindividual plank resembling portions of the panel surface segment. Theprocess provides a multicolor printing application which achieves thesubtle qualities of appearance found in real wood such as random color,graining and mineral streak patterns. Variations in the color and hue ofink supplied to the various patterns produce a wide variety of desirableappearance. The patterns are made from photographs of actual wood andwhen applied in accordance with the invention provide a panel ofauthentic appearance closely resembling the actual wood planks of theparticular wood type and grain from which the original pattern was made.The panel sheets of course are much lower in cost than actual woodplanks and are produciblc economically on a mass production basis asdescribed herein.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to asingle illustrative embodiment thereof, it should be understood thatnumerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by thoseskilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of theprinciples of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A method of making wall panels of thin sheet material with an outersurface grooved to resemble actual wood planks laid in side by siderelation, said method comprising the steps of simultaneously applying aplurality of different patterns in a first color in a first orderedarrangement to said surface, each pattern defining a longitudinalsegment of said surface and drying said first ordered arrangement ofpatterns; simultaneously ap plying the same plurality of patterns in asecond color in a second ordered arrangement over said first appliedpatterns and drying said second ordered arrangement of patterns;simultaneously applying the same plurality of patterns in a third colorand a third ordered arrangement over said second applied patterns anddrying said third ordered arrangement of patterns; said second and thirdapplied patterns arranged such that each longitudinal segment of saidsurface is coated with three different patterns in three differentcolors.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said patterns comprises a woodundertone pattern resembling that of actual Wood planks.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a second pattern comprises anintermediate tone resembling the mineral streaks found in actual woodplanks.

4 The method of claim 1 wherein one of said patterns comprises a toptoneresembling the tick and grain of actual Wood planks.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third colors areapplied with rolling contact with said surface.

6. The article made by the process as defined by claim 1.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,486,919 12/1969 DreaZy et a1.l1745 3,479,197 11/1969 Mork 117-l2 3,078,176 2/1963 McBride 117-123,692,557 9/ 1972 Sormani 11745 1,971,067 8/1934 Fess 11745 2,035,7613/1936 Reese 11712 2,248,254 7/1941 Small 11745 2,877,588 3/1959 Ernst1178 3,467,538 9/1969 Best 1l7-8 3,704,531 12/1972 Seals 11745 WILLIAMD. MARTIN, Primary Examiner W. K. T-RENOR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl.X.R. 11738, 52-313; 101-211

